1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method of a network facsimile apparatus which is connected to a local area network, has a function of transmitting data using electronic mail, and has a function of transmitting facsimile data to and receiving facsimile data from a facsimile apparatus via a public network using a predetermined facsimile transmission procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a network facsimile apparatus which is connected to a local area network, has a function of transmitting data using electronic mail, and has a function of transmitting facsimile data to and receiving facsimile data from a facsimile apparatus via a public network using a predetermined facsimile transmission procedure has been put to practical use.
By using such a network facsimile apparatus, it is possible to transmit picture information to and receive picture information from a plurality of workstation apparatuses which are connected to a local area network or the Internet, and a facsimile apparatus which is connected to a public network. Therefore, it is very convenient.
However, because such a network facsimile apparatus has very many functions because of the character of this apparatus, the size of an operation manual for explaining operations of the apparatus is large.
Therefore, the costs required for printing and binding the operation manual which is included with the network facsimile apparatus are high, and, also, because the weight of the operation manual is large, the costs required for transporting the operation manual together with the apparatus are high.
The present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and, an object of the present invention is to provide a control method of a network facsimile apparatus, in which method the costs required for an operation manual and so forth can be reduced.
A network facsimile apparatus is connected to a local area network, has a function of performing data transmission using electronic mail, and has a function of transmitting facsimile data to and receiving facsimile data from a facsimile apparatus using a predetermined facsimile transmission procedure via a public network. A control method of the network facsimile apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of:
a) storing at least one distribution file; and
b) when an instruction to transmit the distribution file has been given by a user, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted, having the user input a transmission-destination mail address, and transmitting the thus-specified distribution file to the thus-inputted mail address using the electronic mail.
The above-mentioned at least one distribution file includes at least information of an operation manual of the network facsimile apparatus and a program file for performing a setting operation on the network facsimile apparatus via the local area network.
A user level is set for each of the above-mentioned at least one distribution file, and the method further comprises the step of c) when the user has given the instruction to transmit the distribution file, having the user input the user level, and having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the thus-input user level has been set.
A user level is set for each of the above-mentioned at least one distribution file, and the method further comprises the step of c) when the user has given the instruction to transmit the distribution file, having the user input the user level, and, in a case where the thus-input user level is a level of administrator user, performing an authentication operation for administrator users, and, when the authentication operation has succeeded, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the level of administrator user has been set as the user level, but, in a case where the thus-input user level is a level of common user, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the level of common users has been set as the user level.
A network facsimile apparatus is connected to a local area network which can be connected to the Internet, has a function of performing data transmission using electronic mail, and has a function of transmitting facsimile data to and receiving facsimile data from a facsimile apparatus using a predetermined facsimile transmission procedure via a public network. A control method of the network facsimile apparatus, according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises the steps of:
a) providing a distribution server in the Internet, in which distribution server at least one distribution file is stored; and
b) when an instruction to transmit the distribution file has been given by a user, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted, having the user input a transmission-destination mail address, and transmitting first electronic mail requesting the distribution server to transmit the thus-specified distribution file to the thus-inputted mail address,
the distribution server, when having received the first electronic mail, transmitting the specified distribution file to the specified transmission-destination mail address using second electronic mail.
The above-mentioned at least one distribution file includes at least information of an operation manual of the network facsimile apparatus and a program file for performing a setting operation on the network facsimile apparatus via the local area network.
A user level is set for each of the above-mentioned at least one distribution file, and the method further comprises the step of c) when the user has given the instruction to transmit the distribution file, having the user input the user level, and having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the thus-input user level has been set.
A user level is set for each of the above-mentioned at least one distribution file, and the method further comprises the step of c) when the user has given the instruction to transmit the distribution file, having the user input the user level, and, in a case where the thus-input user level is a level of administrator user, performing an authentication operation for administrator users, and, when the authentication operation has succeeded, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the level of administrator user has been set as the user level, but, in a case where the thus-input user level is a level of common user, having the user specify the distribution file to be transmitted from the distribution files for which the level of common user has been set as the user level.
According to the present invention, the distribution file such as the operation manual or the like is transmitted to a user from the network facsimile apparatus using electronic mail. Thereby, it is not necessary to include the operation manual as printed matter with the network facsimile apparatus. As a result, it is possible to reduce the price of the network facsimile apparatus, reduce the labor at the time of transportation and setting thereof, and, also, eliminate a storage space for the operation manual as the printed matter in a usual operation of the network facsimile apparatus.
Further, because the operation manual in conformity to each user level can be distributed, the user can obtain the necessary operation manual, conveniently.
Further, when the level of administrator user has been inputted as the user level, authentication is performed using a password. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a problematic situation in which the service manual is distributed to a common user as a result of, for example, the common user incorrectly inputting the level of administrator users as the user level.
Further, the distribution file such as the operation manual is transmitted to the transmission-destination user from the distribution server apparatus provided in the Internet. Therefore, it is not necessary to store the distribution files in the network facsimile apparatus. As a result, it is possible to reduce the costs of the network facsimile apparatus.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.